LIVESTREAMED ONLINE
To join the retreat ONLINE, click the link below at the scheduled times.
Retreats provide the ideal opportunity to take the teachings to heart and deepen our understanding and familiarity with the practice. Madhyamaka KMC provides a beautiful and blessed environment in which to engage in retreat. Between sessions, enjoy walking in the extensive grounds, or find a peaceful secluded spot for quiet reflection.
Retreat info
We all wish for spiritual realizations, but these depend upon creating certain inner conditions such as purifying negativity, accumulating merit, and receiving blessings.
In this retreat we focus on the preliminary practices of accumulating merit, or positive energy, by making mandala offerings and receiving powerful blessings by engaging in the Guru Yoga practice of Je Tsongkhapa. Je Tsongkhapa, whose ordained name was Losang Dragpa, was a great 14th century Tibetan Buddhist Master who promoted and developed the Kadampa Buddhism that Atisha had introduced three centuries earlier. Mandala offering is an offering of the entire universe visualized as a Pure Land, with all its inhabitants as pure beings.
There will be an introduction on the practice of Guru Yoga and mandala offerings on Friday evening, but the retreat will be unguided and will include chanted prayers and making mandala offerings using a mandala kit or a plate with rice.
Schedule
Friday 9 July
Introduction: 7.30 – 9pm
Saturday 10 – Tuesday 13 July
Session 1: 7.30 – 9am
Session 2: 11.30am – 1pm
Session 3: 4.30 – 6pm
Session 4: 7.30 – 8.30pm (on Saturday 10 July this session will be Offering to the Spiritual Guide chanted prayers and on Tuesday 13 the fourth session will be replaced with the weekly main meditation class)
Wednesday 14 July
Session 1: 7.30 – 9am
Session 2: 11.30am – 1pm
RETREAT MATERIALS
We will be using the prayer booklet, Offering to the Spiritual Guide.
The commentary to this can be found in the book, “Great Treasury of Merit” by Geshe Kelsang Gyatso.
A mandala kit and rice, or plate and rice, will be required for making mandala offerings.
All can be purchased from the Book and Gift Shop at Madhyamaka KMC.